Railroad-spike.



UNITED STATES PATENT EEICE.

SAMUEL P. SHIFLET, OF VERSAILLES, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAILROAD-SPIKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 672,018, dated April 16, 1901.

Application filed October 10. 1900. Serial No. 32,632. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL P. SHIFLET, a citizen of the United States, residing at Versailles, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railroad-Spikes, of which the followingis a full,clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming apart hereof.

My invention has relation to improvements in railroad-spikes; and it consists in the novel construction of spike more fully set forth in the specification and pointed out in the claim.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of the rail and end view of metallic tie, showing my invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a cross-section on line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the spike, showing the tie in section, the bottom of the spike being fiush with the lower surface of the tie, the position of the spike corresponding to that of its initial insertion-that is to say, before the same is turned to admit the locking -keyl Fig. 4 is a corresponding View, but showing the spike fully inserted into the tie and turned to admit the key. Fig. 5 is a top plan of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a top plan showing the key in place. Fig. 7 is a perspective of the key, and Fig. 8 is a middle cross-section of the spike.

One object of my invention is to construct a spike applicable specially to metallic ties, though not necessarily restricted thereto.

A further ob' ct is to construct a spike which can be readily inserted and locked in place in the tie.

In detail the invention may be described as follows:

Referring to the drawings, l represents an ordinary rail, Vand 2 a flanged metallic tie. The head 3 of the spike is of the usual form, and the body 4 is cam-shaped in cross-section, said body terminating at the bottom with a rim 5, which terminates a suitable distance from the wall 6, connecting the opposite edges of the curved surface constituting the cam-surface of the spike. The tie 2 has openings formed therein which correspond to the curvature of the ring 5 and of sufficient size to admit the same freely. (See Fig. 3.) When the spike is fully inserted and turned to the position indicated in Figs. 4, 5, and 6, the rim 5 overlaps the edge of the opening formed in the tie, and the spike is thus prevented from being withdrawn, and to lock the spike against turning the key '7 is nally inserted, the sides of the same being confined between the wall 6 of`the spike and the adjacent end of the rim 5. In case of repairs to the rail the spike can be readily removed by rst withdrawing the key and then turning the spike to the position of its original insertion, when it will pass freely out of the opening in the tie.

Having described my invention, what I claim is A railroad-spike having the usual head, a cam-shaped body portion, a rim at the base of the said body portion, the opening of the tie being suiiicient to admit the rim freely thereinto, and the body portion being rotatable within the opening formed in the tie, and a key adapted to lock the spike when turned, the key being held between the wall of the cam connecting the inner and outer edges of the curved surface thereof, and the adjacent end of the rim, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL P. SHIFLET. Witnesses:

NoEvAL M. POLLAED, CEAS. W. MILLIKEN. 

